BY ROBERT MURRAY – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Since 2010, each discipline in the Winter Paralympic program has undergone significant change. With less than one year to go until the 2014 Games, I’ll be taking a look at what to expect from Canada and the rest of the world in Sochi. Today I take a look at alpine skiing.
What happened in 2010?: Lauren Woolstencroft put on a clinic for her competitors. After winning a total of five Paralympic medals in the past two games, Woolstencroft won an incredible five gold medals. Viviane Forest of Canada accomplished a rare feat, winning gold medals in the Summer and Winter Paralympics, the first Canadian female to do so. She ended the Vancouver Games with one gold, three silver and one bronze. On the men’s side, Germany Gerd Schönfelder and Martin Braxenthaler combined to win seven gold medals and two silver medals.
What has changed?: Canada’s “Golden Girl” Woolstencroft and her teammate Karolina Wisniewska have both retired after the Vancouver games. Alexandrea Franseva of Russia failed to medal in Vancouver but she has come on strong, sweeping the World Cup titles in Slalom, Giant Slalom and Downhill for the visually impaired this year. On the men’s side of the races, many will remember Matthias Lanzinger as the Austrian skier who had his left leg amputated after a horrific crash in Norway back in 2008. Now, competitors on the World Cup circuit are fearing his presence. Lanzinger, competing in his first full World Cup season, finished second in the slalom and giant slalom standings while also finishing third in the downhill standings. He’s Back.
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What Canadians should I watch?: On the women’s side, Alex Starker is the fresh face to the woman’s program. Also a member of Canada’s sitting volleyball team, Starker will be making her Paralympic debut in Sochi. She has one podium on the World Cup circuit, a third place finish at a Giant Slalom in Italy back in January. Kirk Schornstein is the next big thing for the Canadian Para-Alpine team. The Canadian skier will turn 20 on March 19 and should be a lock for Canada’s alpine team in Sochi. He has the experience of one Paralympics under his belt which will serve as great experience. As recently as 2011-12, he was ranked in the top 10 of the Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super Combined, Super G and Overall rankings.
Who could spoil the show?: Alexandra Frantseva. The Russian has been in a constant battle with Slovakian Henrieta Farkašová in the visually impaired category. Sochi will be Frantseva’s second Paralympic Games and she will be looking to impress. Farkašová enjoyed more success at the World Championship level while Frantseva is making significant inroads on the World Cup level. Expect home turf to benefit Frantseva’s search for her first Paralympic Gold medal. For the men, Australian Mitchell Gourley doesn’t have a Paralympic title to his name but that could change in Sochi. The Aussie will enter his second Paralympics on a hot streak that includes hanging around the top five in the Slalom and Giant Slalom disciplines for the past two years on the World Cup circuit. Though he specializes in the technical races, he has excelled at the Super Combined and will be a medal threat in 2014 in several events.